Signal summator

ABSTRACT

An accumulator of a multiplicity of sources of add and subtract signals in which the signals can be of any duration and can occur in any sequence, including simultaneous occurance. The accumulator comprises a rotary power source, intermediate storage elements for storing the signals as received from the sources, control elements for transferring the information in the intermediate storage elements to a final storage, such as a display unit or a sensing unit, resetting elements for resetting the intermediate storage to normal in a sequence and a timing controlled by the rotary power source.

[451 July3, 1973 SIGNAL SUMMATOR [76] Inventor: Frederick W. Pfleger, 1152 Barbara Drive. Cherry Hill. NJ. 08034 [22] Filed: Dec. 21, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 75,956

3,003,691 10/1961 Strandberg 235/92 ST Primary Examiner-Thomas A. Robinson Assistant Examiner-Joseph M. Thesz, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An accumulator of a multiplicity of sources of add and subtract signals in which the signals can be of any duration and can occur in any sequence, including simultaneous occurance. The accumulator comprises a rotary power source, intermediate storage elements for storing the signals as received from the sources, control elements for transferring the information in the intermediate storage elements to a final storage, such as a display unit or a sensing unit, resetting elements for resetting the intermediate storage to normal in a sequence and a timing controlled by the rotary power source.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented July 3, 1973 3,743,822

/07 up a //5 SIGNAL SUMMATOR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This disclosure relates to an add and subtract accumulator which is capable of providing continuous visual viewing and/or electrical sensing of the added and subtracted totals of add or subtract count information as may be fed to the accumulator from multiple sources as simultaneous add, simultaneous subtract or combinations of any serial or simultaneous add and/or subtract count inputs. The accumulator also provides for the correct accumulative totals regardless of the time duration of the count signal provided it is over the minimum time duration required. More particularly, this invention relates to a simplified means of combining count signals from a plurality of sources of add or subtract inputs regardless of the number of sources, the time duration, or the sequence of the source inputs.

In a parking garage or in other forms of item storage areas in which the flow of vehicles or items is both into and out of the storage area and the flow into and out of the storage area can be through many entrances or exits, it is desirable at all times to know both the running total of cars or items in the storage area as well as to know when a given number of cars or items are in the storage area so that a stop command can be given to stop any further flow of cars or items into the storage area. The limit of these cars or items in the storage area is variable with applications, therefore it is desirable that the units be presettable so that the unit can be universally used for storage areas of or less positions to 999 or more positions.

PRIOR ART Although accumulators of this type are known to exist, they have one or more of the following limitations.

Accumulators, such as counters, can only operate in a plus or a minus direction. If plus and minus accumulation is required, two counters are used and mental arithmetic is needed to establish the difference between the two counters.

Accumulators, such as bi-directional counters which accumulate in both the add and subtract mode, can only receive a single add or a single subtract count at anyone time. If multiple add inputs, multiple subtract inputs or various combinations of these inputs occur simultaneously, the correct accumulation of the inputs is lost.

Accumulators, such as electronic counters which accumulate in both add and subtract modes can approximate simultaneous accumulate due to the relatively high accumulate speeds verses the source speed, are extremely expensive especially if complete simultaneous operation is to be achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As a result, it is an object of this invention to provide an accumulator for additive and subtractive counts.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an add and subtract count accumulator in which a multiplicity of add and/or subtract sources of counts can be applied to the accumulator and the count signals from these sources can occur in any sequence or any random pattern.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an add and subtract count accumulator with a multiplicity of add and/or subtract sources of counts in which the add and/or subtract count signals from these inputs can be received simultaneously.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an accumulator which is capable of accumulating add or subtract counts regardless of the length of time that an individual add or subtract count pulse is applied to the accumulator.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an accumulator which is capable of performing the above functions but still being simple in design in order to provide a low cost unit which will be trouble free in operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an accumulator which is capable of performing the above functions and which is capable of accumulating counts to any total.

These and other advantages will become apparent when read in light of the appending claims, description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the mechanism taken substantially along the line AA of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the mechanism showing the side view of the components taken substantially along the line BB of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a segmented perspective view of the main control actuator and drive train input.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1, the accumulator receives its main source of operating power from a motor 101 which is securely mounted to the structure of the accumulator by stand-offs 102. The output shaft 103 of the motor 101 is connected through a coupling 104 to the main drive shaft 105 of the accumulator mechanism. The output shaft 106 of the accumulator has bearings in the structural mounting plates 107 and 108 and extend outside of the mounting plate 108. A coupling 109 is used to attach output shaft 106 to the input shaft 110 of a conventional rotary counter or rotary accumulator 111, the design of which is well known in the art. Since many forms of both visual viewing and electrical ouput rotary counters are available, no further explanations of the multiple column rotary counter will be given. The rotary counter 111 is secured to the side plate 108 by means of stand-offs 112, in the proper position for correct viewing by the customer. The rotarycounter 1 l 1 can be of the true rotary type or can be of the electromechanical or electronic types, all of which are well known in the art. If the output of the accumulator is to have ten or less indicated counts, then a simple wheel can be used to replace the counter 111. This wheel could be a part of or directly attached to the shaft 106.

The main drive shaft 105 is journaled in the two side plates 107 .and 10s and as previously described, is

driven by the motor shaft 103 of motor 101. A drive plate 120, FIGS. 1,2, and 3, is secured to the shaft 105. As a result, for every revolution of the shaft 105, the drive plate makes one complete revolution. Journaled on the shaft 105 are gears 121 and 122 which are integral with ratchet drive wheels 123 and 124 respectively. The ratchet drive wheels 123 and 124 are provided with ratchet teeth 125 and 126, the number of teeth being equal to the number of increments of advances that is required to make a single revolution of the output of the ratchet drive wheel. As a result, if it is desired to have one to one ratio gearing with the output of the system, and if it is desired that increments of advances are needed to advance the output gear one revolution, then the ratchet drive wheels 123 and 124 are provided with ten teeth. If 12 or 16 increments are desired, then the ratchet drive wheels 123 and 124 are provided with 12 or 16 teeth, etc. or the gearing 122-130 and 121-133 can have a ratio other than one to one. In this accumulator the rotational speed of the drive plate determines the rate at which counts are to be added to or subtracted from the accumulator resulting from inputs to any one line. The maximum speed of counting therefore is equal to the product of the number of input lines times the maximum rate which pulses can come to any one line. As a result, in applications such as parking garages or conveyor controls, the speed of the motor 101 can be relatively low thus minimizing wear on the components of the accumulator. In counting, such as in processing fields, the speeds are generally much higher as a result, the only change required to provide for this faster operation is to provide motor 101 with a higher output speed.

Gear 122, of ratchet drive wheel 124, drives a gear 130 in opposite direction of rotation at a one to one ratio. This gear 130 is securely fastened to the output shaft 106 by a set screw, not shown, which allows for set up adjustments. Gear 121, of ratchet drive wheel 123, drives an intermediate gear 131 which is journaled ona fixed shaft 132 mounted inside frame 107. Gear 131 drives output gear 133, which is securely fastened to output shaft 106 and which is the same size as the gear 121. As a result, the gear 133 turns in a one to one relationship with the gear 121 and in the same direction of rotation as the gear 121. The gear 130, since it is directly meshed to the gear 122, rotates in a one to one ratio, but in opposite direction. As a result, it can be seen that a single revolution of the ratchet drive wheel 123 or the ratchet drive wheel 124 in the same direction, produces a single revolution of the output shaft 106, but the revolution resulting from rotation of the wheel 123 is in opposite direction to the rotation produced from rotation of drive wheel 124. As a result, a plus or minus accumulation occurs to the output shaft 106 from uni-directional input drive to the ratchet drive wheels 123 and 124. Since the gears 133 and 130 are both secured to the shaft 106, it is necessary to time share the times that the gear 133 is driven from the time that the gear 130 is driven.

In order to time share the driving of the drive wheels 123 and 124, a drive control actuator 140 is pivotly mounted on pin 141 on one side of drive plate 120 and a second drive control actuator 150 is pivotly mounted on pin 151 on the other side of drive plate 120. The drive control actuators 140 and 150 besides being mounted on opposite sides of the drive plate 120 are mounted 180 displaced from one other. As a result, if the lower half of the cycle FIG. 2 is considered as the drive portion of the cycle and the upper half of the drive portion of the cycle and the other direction of drive is'accomplished when actuator 140 is rotating through this drive portion of the cycle.

Since it is required that the output rotate only when a signal for a change is received by the mechanism, control elements responsive to these signals are provided. These control elements must provide the means to correctly position the control actuators 140 and 150 in the drive half of the cycle if a signal for a count is received. At all other times, the drive control actuators 140 and 150 must be held in deactive position.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drive control actuators 140 and 150 are provided with respective drive surfaces 142 and 152. Drive surface 142 is used to engage ratchet teeth of ratchet wheel 123 and drive surface 152 is used to engage ratchet teeth 126 of ratchet wheel 124. As a result, the control elements must position the drive surfaces 142 and 152 for engagement with ratchet teeth 125 and 126 at the proper times and for the proper durations of a cycle of drive plate 120. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring 144 and 154 are secured at one end to the drive plate 120 and at the other end to an extended arm of the control actuators and respectively in such a manner that the spring force rotates the control actuators 140 and 150 clockwise, FIG. 2, about their pivots 141 and 151 until a stop surface on the control actuator engage stop pins 143 and 153 respectively. This clockwise rotation of the control actuators 140 and 150 against stop pins 143 and 153 is sufficient to allow the drive surfaces 142 and 152 to clear the ratchet teeth 125 and 126 of the drive wheels 123 and 124.

When a signal for a count is received, the control actuators must be positioned to engage the drive surface 142 or 152 with the drive teeth 125 or 126. Asolenoid control mechanism is shown that operates the mechanism which engages the control actuators with the drive teeth. It is obvious that other form of control mechanisms, such as hydraulic or pneumatic controls, could be used for this function. These solenoid mechanisms are mounted to side frames 107 and 108 in such a position that energizing the solenoids positions a control rod to move the control actuators into a position that the drive surfaces are in alignment with the drive teeth at the proper time.

As shown in FIG. 1, the solenoid control mechanisms and 160 consists of coils 161 and 161 wound around a bobbin 162 and 162 which are mounted to the stator portion 163 and 163 of the respective solenoids. These stators 163 and 163' are securely mounted to guide hubs 164 and 164 which are secured to the side frames 107 and 108 respectively. The sole noids 160 and 160' also comprises armatures 165 and 165 which are free to ride in the coil bobbins 162 and 162' respectively. Cylindrical hubs 166 and 166' are secured to the outer end of armatures 165 and 165'. Internal of hubs 166 and 166' are compression springs 167 and 167', each of which are bottomed at one end to the inside of hubs 166 and 166' and at its other end to its respective ring 168 and 168 secured to the control rods 169 or 169'. Since the operation of solenoids 160 and 160' are identical with solenoid 160 acting with control arm 140 and solenoid 160' acting with control arm 150, the descriptionof the action of the solenoid operation will be with respect to solenoid 160'. As shown in the right hand solenoid 160 of FIG. 1, when a count signal is received by the coil of the solenoid, the armature 165' moves to close the air gap (not shown) between the armature 165 and the stator 163'. The hub 166' moves the control rod 169' to the left through the force of spring 167' against ring 168'. In moving to the left, as shown in FIG. 1, the rod 169 projects beyond the inner rod guide 172 a distance sufficient to operate the control actuator 150, which will be described later. Since there are no springs to return the rod 169' to the right, the power to the coil 161 can be turned off as soon as the solenoid 160' has performed its function of moving the rod 169 to its left most position. In order to prevent vibration and shock from accidentally returning the rod 169' to the right, a friction element such as a steel ring or rubber ring 170' is provided to give ample drag to the rod 16? to prevent movement resulting from such vibrations. As was previously described, the rod 169' is moved by the spring 167' acting against the rod 169'; as a result, this spring 167 must have sufficient force to drive the rod 169' through the friction forces caused by the friction member 170'. Secured to the outer end of the rod 169 is a collar 171' which functions under certain conditions with a latch 180' to be described later. Under normal operating conditions, whenever a count pulse is received by the coil 161 of the solenoid 160', the mechanisms advance to the positions as shown in FIG. 1. This count pulse can be received by the solenoid 160 at anytime, and is in no way limited to any position of the rotary drive plate 120. As a result, after a pulse has been received by the solenoid 160', the mechanism is conditioned to accumulate a count related to this pulse consequent to the control actuator 150 engaging the rod 169. As shown in FIGS. Zand 3, when the rod 169 is in a set position and the drive plate 120 rotates to bring the control actuator 140 into engagement with the rod 169, the rod 169 through caming surface 201 of the control actuator 140, causes the control actuator to rotate counter-clockwise against the force of spring 146. Further rotation of drive plate 120 causes the control actuator 140 to be moved further counterclockwise about its pivot 141 a distance sufficient for the drive surface 142, of control actuator 140, to engage the teeth 125 of the drive wheel 123. This caming action starts prior to where the drive surface 142 contacts the ratchet teeth 125. The distance allocated to this caming action is sufficient to allow for a minimum of caming force, but short enough that engagement will only occur with the proper tooth. The slope of this caming surface and the angular distance between teeth then determines where the start of the rotational movement of the control actuator 140 is to take place. It is obvious as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, that this starting action can take place anywhere as long as its less than one tenth of a revolution from its proper ratchet tooth engaging position on the ten-tooth drive wheel. As shown I in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drivesurface 142 of control actuator 140 is in driving position with respect to the drive teeth 125 as occurs when the rod 169 has cammed the control actuator its full distance. As a result, further clockwise rotation of drive plate 120 will rotate the drive wheel 123 at a one to one ratio. Since it is desirable to reset rod 169 as soon as possible after it cams the control actuator into engaging position so that subsequent pulses can be received, an auxiliary pin 202 is provided to hold the control actuator 140 in driving position for the correct portion of the cycle of control plate 120. Pin 202 cooperates with a lower surface of a second boss projection 205 on control actuator 140 for holding the control actuator for driving and rides above the upper surface of boss 205 when the control actuator has not been set for driving the ratchet wheel. In order to assure that the control actuator 140 is held in driving position until pin 202 cooperating with boss 205 takes over, the caming surface 201 extends to a riding surface 204 on the control actuator 140. As a result, during the initial drive motion, if the actuator 140 is in its driving position, it is initially held in its driving position through the relationship of setting rod 169 with riding surface 204. Adjacent the riding surface 204 and in the plane of the set rod 169 is a resetting cam 210 integral with and part of control actuator 140. This cam surface 210 is designed such that the rod 169 is driven out of set position when the pin 202 controls the control actuator 140. The cam 210 cams the rod 169 back a distance greater than the height of the riding surface 204 so that on subsequent rotations when there is no setting signal, the rod 169 does not strike the face of the riding surface 204 since this face is in the same plane as the set rod 169 in non drive conditions. Friction member 170 is used to retain the rod 169 in the cam position until the next pulse is received. As was previously described, the control actuator 140 only can be in driving position for a specific portion of the cycle; as a result, the boss 205 is designed such that the end of the boss 205 meets the left most portion of the pin 202 at the time that the clockwise rotation of the drive plate and the control actuator 140 rotates the drive wheel 123 one tenth of a revolution in a 10 position accumulator. When this end of the boss 205 is in this position, the control actuator 140 is rotated clockwise about its pivot 141 and out of engagement with the drive teeth by means of the spring force of the spring 144. As a result, continued rotation of drive plate 120 in the clockwise direction after the control actuator M0 has been pulled out of engagement with the drive teeth 125 will not cause any further rotation of the drive wheel 123.

In parking lot applications, and/or other applications in which many simultaneous inputs can occur on either the additive or subtractive or both sides of the accumulator, then a multiplicity of input solenoid assemblies 160 can be mounted to each side of the accumulator. As shown in FIG. 2, these inputs can be positioned such as those indicated as additional set rods 169". As long as these additional set rods 169" are positioned in the driving sector of the accumulator, the unit will be able to be responsive to settings of each of these set rods 169" in series as the clockwise rotation of drive plate 120 with control actuators and passes through the driving sector. These additional set rods 169" cannot be placed closer together than the equivalent of one tenth of a revolution of rotation on a one by one accumulator. As a result, as shown the mechanism-has 5 inputs on the add and 5 inputs on the subtract side of a 10 position unit with a one to one ratio. This number of inputs can be increased by changing the actuator drive wheels 123 and 124 to a multiple of the desired number of outputs per revolution such as 20 teeth for a 10 position output thus enabling ten inputs to be provided on each side in the driving half of the accumulator cycle. The output from the ratchet wheels 123 and 124 will then have to be changed from a one to one ratio as previously described, to a two to one ratio in order to provide for a one tenth increment of registration on a l position register for each actuation of the drive wheel. In other words, as long as the add and the subtract controls for actuation occupy l80 of revolution of the drive plate 120, any number of add inputs and subtract inputs can be provided in this 180 actuation portion that physically can be packaged and provided that there is not more than one input per distance of one advance. As was previously described, this 180 actuation zone is the limiting factor since the output actuation for equal number of add and subtract inputs is to be shared by the positive and negative actuations, each of which is 180". If the unit only accumulates additive or subtractive pulses, the control mechanisms can be distributed over the full 360 of one side.

In many applications, such as in automotive garages, it is possible that the input pulse to the solenoid assembly 160 can be held on for a long period of time, such as would occur if a car stopped on the treadle, or in the light beam of the photo-electric Signal producing equipment. If this should happen, the accumulator must register only one input for the signal even though the signal may exist for several revolutions of the drive plate 120. In order to accomplish this and as described with respect to control solenoid 160, the armature 165 drives the set rod 169 through a compression spring 167 mounted between a portion of the hub 166 and a ring 168 secured to a set rod 169, as previously described. The hub 166 is securely mounted to the armature 165 and moves with the armature. Adjacent to hub 166 and in axial alignment with it is the collar 171 which is securely mounted to set rod 169 by means of a set screw. Under normal operating conditions, the armature 165, the hub 166, the collar 171, the spring 167 and the set rod 169 all operate as though they were one solid unit when a count pulse is received by the solenoid 160 and when the set rod is driven into its home position by the cam surface 120 of the control actuator 140. If the setting of the set rod 169 occurs when the face of the cam 201 of control actuator 140 is in alignment with the end of the set rod 169, due to the rotationalposition of the drive plate 120, the spring 167 yields to allow the solenoid to continue to pull in so that the armature 165 seats on the stator 163. After the drive plate 120 rotates sufficiently to move the face of the cam 201 from in front of the set rod, the spring 167 relaxes moving the set rod 169 into the normal set position. As a result, the count pulse must be of sufficient length for this amount of rotational movement.

On the resetting of the set rod 169 by the cam 210, the hub 166, collar 171 and the armature 165 are all normally returned to the normal deenergized position. If however, the armature 167 is held against the stator 165 by the power remaining on the coil 161 of the solecollar 171 moves to its normal de-energized position,

and if the gap still exists between the hub 166 and collar 171, the mating edge of the collar 171 is brought beyond the latching edge of latch 180 as shown in the left solenoid of FIG. 1. The latch 180 then holds the collar 171 in its normal position even though spring 167 will attempt to return it to its set position after cam 210 moves from in front of the set rod 169. As a result, as long as the solenoid is energized, latch 180 will maintain the set rod 169 in its normal position such that on succeeding rotations of drive plate 120, the control actuator will not be conditioned to produce an advance in the counter. During the time that the solenoid is held energized and the collar is held in latched position by the latch 180, the spring 167 is in its compressed condition. When the solenoid is deenergized, the spring 167 will relax. Since the collar 171 is held in latched condition, the spring will only be able to relax by moving the hub 166 and the armature towards the collar 171. Formed as part of latch 180 is a caming surface 181. This caming surface 181 is so designed that movement of hub 166 toward collar 171 to close the gap between the two, will cam the latch out of holding position with the collar 171. At the point where the gap is closed, the latch 180 is released and the friction ring maintains the parts in normal deenergized position.

From the above description as read in light of the drawings, it can be seen that a simple bi-directional count accumulator which meets the objects of this invention, has been fully disclosed, it being understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. An accumulator of data comprising signals from a plurality of signal sources the combination comprising; cyclical drive means divisable into a plurality of subdivisions per cycle, a settable member associated with each of said a plurality of sub-divisions each of said settable members having a normal position and a set position responsive to a signal from one of said plurality of signal sources, mounting plate means driven cyclically by said cyclical drive, positional control means mounted to said mounting means and moved cyclically therewith having an inactive position and an active position responsive to the set position of said settable member, output means responsive to said active position of said positional control means, and resetting control means for resetting said settable member to said normal position.

2. An accumulator of data according to claim 1, said subdivisions per cycle divisable into minor divisions such that said positional control means is moveable into said active position responsive to said set position of a said settable member during the first minor division, said positional control means drives said output means during the second minor division and said positional control means is returned to said inactive position during a thirdminor division.

3. An accumulator of dataaccording to claim 1, said cyclic drive means having a first major division with said sub-divisions and a second major division with said sub-divisions, said positional control means operable during said first major division, a second positional control means operable during the second major division, said output means responsive to said positional control means and a second output means responsive to said second positional control means.

4. An accumulator of data according to claim 3, ineluding settable member associated with each subdivision of said second major division.

6. An accumulator of data according to claim 3, including an output register, a direct drive between said output means and said register, and a reversing drive between said second output means and said register.

7. An accumulator according to claim 6, in combination with sensing elements for detecting a preset position of said register or a zero indication of said register and marking on said register to indicate the position of said register. 

1. An accumulator of data comprising signals from a plurality of signal sources the combination comprising; cyclical drive means divisable into a plurality of sub-divisions per cycle, a settable member associated with each of said a plurality of sub-divisions each of said settable members having a normal position and a set position responsive to a signal from one of said plurality of signal sources, mounting plate means driven cyclically by said cyclical drive, positional control means mounted to said mounting means and moved cyclically therewIth having an inactive position and an active position responsive to the set position of said settable member, output means responsive to said active position of said positional control means, and resetting control means for resetting said settable member to said normal position.
 2. An accumulator of data according to claim 1, said subdivisions per cycle divisable into minor divisions such that said positional control means is moveable into said active position responsive to said set position of a said settable member during the first minor division, said positional control means drives said output means during the second minor division and said positional control means is returned to said inactive position during a third minor division.
 3. An accumulator of data according to claim 1, said cyclic drive means having a first major division with said sub-divisions and a second major division with said sub-divisions, said positional control means operable during said first major division, a second positional control means operable during the second major division, said output means responsive to said positional control means and a second output means responsive to said second positional control means.
 4. An accumulator of data according to claim 3, including settable member associated with each sub-division of said second major division.
 5. An accumulator of data according to claim 1, wherein a said settable member comprises a prime mover, a member movable by said prime mover into said set position, a yielding connection between said prime mover and said member, a latching member for latching said member in said normal position when said member is reset before the discontinuance of power to said prime mover, and latch disengaging means for removing said latch from latching position on removal of power from said prime mover.
 6. An accumulator of data according to claim 3, including an output register, a direct drive between said output means and said register, and a reversing drive between said second output means and said register.
 7. An accumulator according to claim 6, in combination with sensing elements for detecting a preset position of said register or a zero indication of said register and marking on said register to indicate the position of said register. 